I went through the twelve grades of school from 1960 to 1973. During that time, I was taught something called "The New Math." It went like this--teachers spoon fed us concepts and expected us to follow what they said word for word. I was very visual, and I could look at numbers and see other, easier ways to solve the problems. For instance, in fourth grade, I was taught long division, and the way the teacher wanted us to do it was so convoluted it never made any sense to me. In sixth grade, I was taught long division the way my parents were, and it made so much sense. This is when I began to realize that The New Math was a mistake.
Now, boys and girls today, let's face it, the jobs and money, if that is what you want, belong to those skilled in math and science. I realized this while in grade school but did not care because I was arts driven. But a part of me regrets my poor math skills.
But were they, really? As I said, I had a visual sense for numbers, but teachers wanted things done their way. In eighth grade I had a teacher who was so bored with his job, he could not get through to me the same concepts I mastered in ninth grade. Same in twelfth, when I took Trigonomery.
Yet, on my standardized tests, like the PSAT and the SAT, my math scores, while not nearly as high as my verbal, were significantly higher than my performance indicated. And the year I took Geometry in high school; I aced the course. I was astonished, and so was my teacher. So much so, he began talking to me about math as a career option. I remember telling him while I was certainly happy about this situation, it was some kind of fluke.
My first year of college, I was required to take three credits of Math. There was a course perfect for students of my type--"Math For Liberal Arts Students." It was a rehash of the last twelve years, with a dose of probability. This last I did not do well on.
So, what was the problem? I say it was "The New Math." Somewhere, math potential was hidden in me but never developed because this teaching method never allowed it to. I am not saying if I had been taught differently, I would have become a banker, or an accountant, or an IT guy, but maybe more options would have been opened to me.
I still do math problems for fun sometimes, figuring out easier ways to do it, than I was taught. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail, but overall, the failure was how I was taught, to begin with.
For those out there with children, I ask, is "The New Math" still being taught?
If so, make sure your children avoid it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!